Furr kicks off season with win

SALT LAKE CITY – Just like a boxer, a freestyle bullfighter needs to be light on his feet and throw accurate punches in order to come out victorious.

Kris Furr

That’s exactly what Kris Furr did Saturday night to claim the first Bullfighters Only event of the season, held in conjunction with the Days of ’47 Lewis Feild Bulls & Broncs at the Maverik Center in Salt Lake City.

“It’s a good start to the year,” said Furr, who matched moves with WAR Fighting Bulls’ Sinful Nights for 85 points to claim the championship. “That’s a sweet bull. You couldn’t ask for a better one, and I handled him.”

Weston Rutkowski

As Sinful Nights burst out of the chute, Furr made a quick round with the black Spanish fighting bull. Then, as the animal showed his aggression, the North Carolinian threw a series of strong fakes to keep the bull off balance. Once he got enough separation, Furr was able to clear the bull on a head to tail jump.

“He let me do my thing,” he said. “But, he sure helped me get the win.”

Two-time reigning world champion Weston Rutkowski and Toby Inman, the 2017 reserve world champion, also had solid fights. Rutkowski finished second with an 82-point bout, but the difference came in the bull power. Inman finished third with a 77.

Toby Inman

“I was the first one out, so I wanted to set the standard,” Furr said. “That was definitely had the bull to win it.”

But the bullfighter also had to hold up his end of the fight, and Furr did that. He also said it was great to be part of the Lewis Feild Bulls & Broncs, which featured all three rodeo roughstock events and barrel racing.

“The crowd was into it the whole time, especially during the bullfight,” he said. “I think it was really neat to them because we did it in the dark under the spotlight, so that made it even more electric.”

That’s what Bullfighters Only is all about, finding every way possible to showcase talent.